Harry Potter: The Dark Mark Rises
by Olympus91
Summary: It has been two years since The Battle of Hogwarts and Voldemort's demise. Now Harry, Ron and Hermione can live their lives in piece. But new secrets begin to unfold as Harry's career choice reveals more to him than he ever thought possible…
1. An Auror is Born

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Harry was standing at one end of a massive room, about that same size as Hogwarts' Great Hall. Large bookshelves lined the walls on either side. The ceiling itself was high and arched, four oak pillars splitting from the middle of it, making their way down to the wooden floor, creating corners to a large golden rectangle in the centre of the room.

Approaching the rectangle, Harry could see its fine detail. Lines of pure gold twisted and curved their way around the pillars and onto the floor, where they spread out to form the rectangle. Gold and silver stars were dotted around these gold lines. Focusing on the middle of platform, Harry could see a large gold circle surrounding the gold inlay of the Ministry of Magic logo. At the opposite end of the room, in long black robes similar to Harry's, stood Hermione; her wand was drawn. Harry drew his, and they both stepped past the gold lines onto the rectangle.

A woman's stern voice echoed out from nowhere.

"_Welcome, prospective candidates. Yesterday, you each sat three theoretical examinations. Each of these exams put your minds to the test. I am pleased to report, you passed those tests._

"_And now is the time for your final challenge. This shall test whether you can put the theories you have learned into good practice. The two of you in the hall need to work together to overcome your obstacles. This is all the information I shall give you."_

Harry looked at Hermione. She looked more relaxed after hearing this – she had previously worried they would need to fight each other, as did he.

"_The test – begins!"_

As soon as the last word was spoken, the floor beneath them shook violently, and the rectangle started to rise up. It continued to rise until it left the floor altogether, becoming a ten inch thick massive solid oak platform hovering over the ground, eventually stopping twenty feet in the air, as stable as it would have been were it still secured to the ground.

They both looked to the circle in the middle of the platform, and ran towards it. Back-to-back would make it much easier for them to defend themselves from attack. They didn't make it five paces before their first attacker apparated into the circle, firing three stunning spells at Harry as he materialised.

_Protego!_ Harry screamed inside his head, allowing him to block the first two beams of red light before diving to the floor to avoid the third. As he looked up, he saw his attacker turn to Hermione, who had already fired a jinx, striking him square in the face. Turning back towards Harry, the attacker tried to aim his wand through swelling eyes.

"Expelliarmus!"

The red beam of light Harry had unleashed struck the attacker's wand, knocking it out of his hand and over the edge of the platform. Before Hermione could move to freeze him to the spot, he disapparated.

Harry pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his robes. "Nice jinx!"

"Similar to the one I hit you with in the forest all those years ago." She smiled warmly. "Try not to speak the spells though Harry – it gives the enemy a better chance to block them." She tightened her grip on her wand. "I doubt this is over yet."

Turning their attention back to the centre ring, they moved towards it again. This time they barely moved two paces before three figures apparated inside the circle – two men and a woman – each wearing silver Death Eater masks. But Harry and Hermione both had their wands raised and ready this time.

_Petrificus Totalus! _A grey mist shot from Harry's wand and hit the lead Death Eater in the chest, causing him to seize up as stiff as a board before falling backwards. Hermione had sent a stunning spell at the second Death Eater, knocking her to the ground with a thud.

The third Death Eater took his chance. Having that extra time while his two comrades fell paralysed, he moved his wand in a series of complicated flicks and twists before firing a small, shiny black ball from his wand.

"PROTEGO!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs, slashing his wand upwards as he dived to his left. The shielding charm was so powerful the ball bounced back at an intense speed, glowing with heat as it whizzed past the Death Eater, missing him by mere inches and burrowing itself deep into the wall at the other end of the room. The Death Eater was knocked sideways by the force of the deflection, nearly falling out of the centre ring.

"Take this! And that! You dirty, filthy, scoundrel!" Harry looked up to see Hermione sending nearly every curse in her arsenal at the Death Eater, who was surprisingly managing to stay within the circle, moving himself back to the centre as he defended himself. Getting back up, Harry pointed his wand and began firing spells of his own.

_Stupify! Confundo! Reducto! Expelliarmus!_

At last a spell struck, knocking the wand out of the Death Eater's hand. But he must have been expecting his downfall. As the spell struck, the Death Eater spun to disapparate, taking his wand and the other two Death Eaters with him.

"Are you ok Harry?" Hermione asked, running up and hugging him quickly.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Are you?"

"Of course, I'm fine! Don't worry about me! Did that spell hit you?" she asked frantically while spinning him around, checking for wounds.

"No, I'm fine Hermione. Honestly. What was that spell he used anyway?"

"A particularly nasty concoction of dark magic." Hermione sighed. "Draculos Inferno. It could have killed you if it struck!"

Harry stood, dumbstruck. "But I thought deadly spells were forbidden in this test?"

"They are. That contestant just got himself kicked off the course at the last hurdle… if he was even a contestant."

"What? You think he is a real Death Eater?"

"Maybe… I don't know, Harry… But he did just use a very complex piece of dark magic." She turned back towards the centre ring, focusing once more on the task at hand. "I think I know what we have to do."

"Good, 'cause I don't!"

"Don't you see, Harry? Each time we've approached that circle, we've been attacked. Try to apparate." Harry spun on the spot. "See! We can't apparate outside that circle. We need to get inside it and apparate. That'll move us to our next challenge."

"Ok," Harry said, preparing to run towards the centre ring. "On the count of three then?" Hermione prepared to run. "One… two… three!"

Together, they bolted towards the circle. They were just two feet from it when a black portal opened up from within, blasting the two friends backwards as Dementors flooded through it into the hall.

Jumping to his feet, Harry ran over to Hermione as she struggled to get up. Dementors came swooping in from all sides. As he reached her, Harry lifted up his wand and yelled "Expecto Patronum!"

A silvery-white stag erupted from Harry's wand and flew straight at the oncoming Dementors, driving them back. Lightning fast, the stag ran a perimeter around Harry and Hermione, blasting back any Dementor that tried to break through.

"There must be at least a hundred of them," Harry noted as he observed the massive room, now practically filled with Dementors. He helped Hermione to her feet. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm good. Thanks Harry." Hermione straightened her robes and pointed her wand at the Dementors, a fierce look in her eyes. "Expecto Patronum!"

An otter exploded from her wand and propelled itself forwards, driving more Dementors back while creating a path to the circle.

"You're incredible Hermione!" Harry exclaimed as they walked forwards towards the circle. His patronus continued to keep Dementors at bay.

As they reached the circle their patronuses disappeared, but the Dementors did not move. They were protected within the glistening golden circle.

"Right," Hermione said, keeping an eye on the Dementors as she thought. "Where do we apparate to?"

"I have an idea," Harry said, taking Hermione's hand. "Fancy a trip to The Burrow?"

/ - / - / - /

Harry and Hermione apparated into a field of thick, tall grass. It was night, the stars twinkling away high above. But it was not the usual marshy plains that led to The Burrow. This was unusual terrain.

"Lumos," Harry and Hermione whispered together. Light shone from the tips of their wands, revealing a single dirt track leading into the grass in front of them.

"Harry," Hermione muttered. "I don't think I need to tell you that this is not The Burrow…"

"Yeah… I noticed." He started to walk down the dirt track. "Come on."

They followed the track for ten minutes, eventually coming to a large clearing. The grass was cut short here, and they had a beautiful view of the full moon above them.

As they entered the clearing, a dark figure apparated in the centre ahead of them. They stopped short, wands raised and ready.

"Hold it right there!" Harry ordered. The figure started to walk towards them. "I said don't move!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Mr Potter, put your wand down before you take someone's eye out!"

They both lowered their wands.

"Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked, surprised to hear the old Transfirguration teacher's voice.

"Good to see you too, Miss Granger," McGonagall noted as she became visible in their wandlight. She was wearing a dark green cloak over similar-coloured robes. Her wand was clutched in her right hand.

"Um, Professor, did you bring us here?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Potter, I did. We all have a lot to discuss." Harry and Hermione looked at McGonagall curiously. "I know you were both finishing the first stage of your practical examination to become Aurors, but this is… this is huge!" As she said that, a green flash shot into the sky behind them. Turning around, they saw the Dark Mark form in the sky above them.

"As you both entered the centre circle in your test, you became full-fledged Aurors." McGonagall advised. "But the three opponents you faced half way through your test were not other candidates in disguise." She looked up at the sky and sighed sadly. "They were Death Eaters…"

**A/N - **_**Draculos Inferno **_**is a dark spell I have created that can cause serious/fatal injury on its target**

**Please Review – Constructive Criticism Encouraged – No Flames Please!**


	2. The First Assault

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

"Death Eaters?" Harry asked, shocked. "But how'd they get into the Ministry?"

"I don't know, Potter, but with that sign hanging over our heads," she looked up at the Dark Mark, hovering and luminous green, "here is not the best place to discuss it. Apparate to Hogsmeade. I will meet you outside The Three Broomsticks shortly. I have another matter to attend to first." With that, McGonagall disapparated.

"Can you believe how this day is panning out?" Harry asked as he turned to Hermione.

"I know… this is crazy," Hermione replied. "Death Eaters infiltrating the Ministry – to attack us?" She sighed.

Harry thought for a moment. "Well, if McGonagall is off to sort out something else right now… fancy a butterbeer?"

/ - / - / - /

Harry and Hermione apparated into Hogsmeade to the sound of chaos. Screams met their ears the second they materialised, and wands were out instantly.

"First order of business!" Harry exclaimed as he ran towards the screams.

He rounded a corner and instantly found the cause of the disturbance. In the middle of the street stood three men – all burley and muscular – wearing Death Eater masks. They were sending spells in every direction, smashing shop windows and blasting down doors. People were running for their lives.

One of the men spotted a woman running towards the safety of a café. He swung his wand over his head twice before flicking it towards her, sending a red-hot lasso through the air. It wrapped around her neck with ease, causing her to scream in pain as it seared her skin. The Death Eater pulled his wand back, dragging her to his feet.

"Hermione, be careful!" Harry warned as he aimed his wand at the Death Eater and yelled "Agua Temperatus!"

Water pulsed from Harry's wand, soaking the hot rope. As the water made contact its temperature plummeted, causing it to freeze almost instantly. Harry then sent a second spell at the rope, causing it to smash into pieces.

As the woman crawled away sobbing the Death Eaters turned their attention to Harry, clearly not amused by his interference. One of them raised his wand slowly, the build-up of pressure causing green sparks to fly from the tip of it.

As he began to slash his wand downwards a bright red beam hit his right shoulder, knocking him sideways into a wall. His spell hit one of the other Death Eaters, killing him instantly. Looking behind him Harry saw Hermione, wand drawn, a red light still glowing at the tip.

Smiling with gratitude, Harry turned to face his next opponent. As his partner tried to stagger to his feet, the other Death Eater moved a couple of steps forward into the light of a nearby streetlamp. Grabbing the bottom of his mask, he pulled it off to reveal his face. It was severely scarred, much of his skin burned beyond repair. He was bald, with small ears and a crooked nose. One of his eyes was a dark brown – the other completely grey and lifeless. Throwing his mask to Harry's feet, he chuckled.

"Prepared to die, Auror?" His voice was low and rough. Harry could make out a dark red scar which appeared to wrap its way around his neck.

"Was that a threat, scumbag?" Harry replied, hate boiling up inside him.

The Death Eater grinned. "Yes!"

He quickly unleashed a fireball at Harry, followed by two curses. The first Harry quickly doused; the second and third he just managed to deflect.

Hermione appeared at Harry's side, firing several jinxes at their opponent, which he deflected with ease. His partner got to his feet, wand in hand once again.

Who are –" _Stupify!_ "These –" _Protego!_ "Vermin?" _Auguamenti!_ Hermione asked through spells.

"Dunno!" _Sectumsempra!_

Harry's spell hit the masked Death Eater, slicing through skin and bone. He collapsed to the floor, blood soaking the cobblestones beneath him.

"Shit!" the last standing Death Eater cursed wildly, looking at his fallen comrades, then back to the two Aurors pointing their wands at him, both glowing brilliant red.

"By order of the Ministry of Magic, you are hereby under arrest for disrupting the peace, causing serious bodily harm, and attempted murder!" Hermione yelled, tears of rage building in her eyes. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't –"

"What? Why you shouldn't just _kill_ me?" The Death Eater laughed, then stopped abruptly, his face turning serious. "Because I know what you need to know. And because you CAN'T!"

"STUPIFY!" Harry screamed as loud as he could, firing the stunning spell at the Death Eater, already in mid-apparation. Just as the beam was about to hit his twisted form, he vanished, the spell blowing a hole in the stomach of a statue that had stood behind him.

"Bastard!" Harry raged, storming up to the remaining Death Eaters. "Dead… Both dead! Shit! What do we do now?" He turned to see Hermione, who had tears falling down her face.

"Harry… I d-d-don't… I'm s-s-sorry Harry."

Harry calmed down instantly. "No, Hermione no!" He ran to her and held her head in his hands. "Look at me. LOOK at me, Hermione!" She looked into his eyes. "Neither of us could have seen this coming! And you did just as great as you always do. And neither of us are hurt, _and_ no innocents died!" Hermione sniffed and Harry let go of her face. "I'm sorry I lost it there – we just need to know why these Death Eaters have suddenly reappeared. And we can't find out from corpses."

Wiping tears from her cheeks, she regained some focus. "I'm not letting it happen again, Harry. Voldemort is dead – his Death Eaters should have died with him."

"We'll stop them." Harry promised. "We'll stop every last one of them. Now," he picked up the Death Eater's mask, "let's go find McGonagall. She'll know what to do about the bodies… about this mess. And while we're in the area, we might as well go see Ron, yes?" Hermione nodded. "Right, onwards then – to The Three Broomsticks."

**A/N – **_**Agua Temperatus**_** is a spell I have created that shoots water at a target, and freezes on contact**


	3. A Strange Encounter

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

The streets were deserted as Harry and Hermione made their way to The Three Broomsticks, no doubt due to the events of earlier that evening. Even as they arrived barely anyone was to be seen – Madame Rosmerta sat at the counter, drinking a lime-green liquid, a couple of shifty-looking men were sat around the fireplace playing cards, and McGonagall sat in a corner next to a young freckled man with red hair.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled, letting go of Harry's hand and running to her boyfriend.

"Blimey Hermione! You didn't half give me a scare!" Ron laughed as he hugged her. He looked up at Harry and smiled. "Hello stranger. Been looking after her I see."

"Come on, Ron – you know it's her that looks after me!" The three of them laughed together before Harry turned to McGonagall and handed over the Death Eater mask.

"Good gracious, Potter! Where did you get that?"

"We ran into a bit of trouble down town." Harry continued to explain their close encounter with the three Death Eaters.

"And the other two are still down there?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes – obviously being pulled from the test the way we were, we have no official paperwork or means of communication to the Ministry."

"Not to mention we don't know what to do in situations like this!" Hermione added. "What do we do with their bodies?"

"I'll deal with that," McGonagall reassured her. "The next course of action should probably be to make your way back to the Ministry. The Minister of Magic has informed me he has captured the imposters and has them under guard in the court rooms before they are sent to Azkaban tomorrow. You might have better luck getting through to them than the Minister's interrogators."

"Sounds like a good place to start," Harry agreed. "What do you think, Hermione?"

"I agree," she replied through a sip of Ron's butterbeer. "We'll stay here tonight and head out first thing."

"In that case, I shall head back to the school." McGonagall rose to leave. "Lot's to do, so little time. Dumbledore made being headmaster look easy. Needless to say it's been putting the strain on me lately." She smiled at the three friends. "I'll keep you posted on any more developments at this end. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," they all replied before continuing their catch-up. Ron was now teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, and seemed to be enjoying it thoroughly. Yet there was something about him that unsettled Harry slightly – he just could not place what it was.

"But apart from that, nothing new has really happened," he finished, taking a swig from his pint glass. "So, you two are Aurors now! Congratulations! I know that was a tough year."

"Thanks," Harry replied. "We kind of started without realising it – it's been a mad twenty-four hours!" He looked down at his watch. "You know what, I'll just head up to bed. Give you two a chance to catch up properly.

"Yeah… ok…" Ron muttered, fidgeting with his glass. Hermione looked at him awkwardly, then turned to Harry, forcing a smile.

"See you in the morning Harry!"

"Night Hermione." As he reached the door to the stairs, he looked back at his two friends, expecting to see them kissing, or hugging, or at least holding hands. But all he could see was Ron looking at his shoes awkwardly and Hermione sipping at her butterbeer. Whatever happened tonight, Harry had a feeling tomorrow would only bring more misery.

/ - / - / - /

Harry woke to the sound of rain. Grabbing his glasses, he pulled them on and walked towards the window, pulling the curtains apart as he reached it. Sure enough, his eyes met with the sight of rain bouncing off the cobbles, small streams of water flowing down the hills, and murky grey clouds hovering above it all ominously, threatening to strike down with lightning; the castle was hidden from view.

He pulled on his clothes and walked downstairs for breakfast. As he walked past Hermione's room, he noticed the door was ajar. He knocked on it lightly. No answer. He knocked harder. No answer again.

"Hermione?" Harry pushed the door open, revealing a neat, tidy little bedroom, bed made and curtains open.

_She must be eating breakfast with Ron,_ he thought as he walked down the stairs to the bar. Opening the door, he met a scene very similar to the night before, the only movement being Madame Rosmerta sipping from a mug behind the bar and what Harry could have sworn to be the same three men as the night before playing cards in front of the fireplace. In the back corner of the room sat Hermione, picking at a slice of bacon with her fork. Ron was nowhere to be seen.

Grabbing a plate of food Rosmerta had pulled out for him when she noticed Harry enter, he made his way to Hermione and sat next to her. Her eyes were red and puffy. Harry dreaded the worst.

"Are you ok Hermione?"

She sniffed, then smiled sadly. "No Harry. I'm not ok."

Harry hung off as long as he could from asking the question, but the silence was killing him. Eventually, he gave in.

"Um, where's Ron?"

"Hmm?"

"Ron? Where's Ron? Was everything ok last –"

"No Harry." Hermione snapped. "Everything was not 'ok' last night. Ron's… He's been… Ron's a prick." Harry nearly choked on a piece of toast. "He is a foul, good for nothing, disgusting little toad!" She slammed her plate on the table, causing it to break and sending the last piece of bacon falling to the floor as she stormed off out of the pub. Harry sat several seconds, unsure what to do, before getting up and running after her.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted as the cold rain hit his face. He could see her up ahead, pulling her wand out. "Hermione, come with me! Let's get out of here – let's get to the Ministry. We can talk more about this when we are warm and dry…" Harry reached her side and realised why she had unsheathed her wand. "Hermi –"

"Shhhh!"

One hundred yards ahead, standing tall and proud against the buildings around him, stood a centaur. He had chestnut-brown hair and dark eyes – eyes that were fixed fiercely on the two Aurors.

Harry pulled out his wand. "Hermione, why don't we just talk to him?"

"Because he's different."

"But how do you know that?"

"For a start, he's in the town!" Hermione hissed. "Centaurs in this area keep to the Forbidden Forrest. They are rarely disturbed there. And look at his shoulder." Harry focused. It was hard to see through the rain, but he could just make out some kind of tattoo on his right shoulder. "I think he's a rogue, but if he is, what is he doing this close to such a densely-populated magical community?"

"Um… sightseeing?" Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry for a moment, then cracked a smile.

As Harry smiled back, he noticed movement in the corner of his eye. Looking up, he noticed the centaur had disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Harry asked, starting to walk up the hill.

"I don't know…" Hermione followed behind him, wand at the ready. "He was there just a moment ago, and then – gone."

As they reached the crossroads where the centaur had stood, they looked out into the distance. No matter which direction they looked, he could not be seen. There was nowhere nearby for him to hide and no trees for a good five hundred yards in any direction.

"Harry… where could he be?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"I don't know…" He flicked his wand. "Revelio Soulaeus!" Nothing happened.

"Come on," Hermione linked her arm around Harry's and smiled. "Let's get out of this rain!"

"But what about the centaur?"

"Don't worry about him," she suggested quietly. "He's nowhere to be seen, and he doesn't appear to be a threat to the village, which means we have more important things to attend to. However," she pulled out her wand again, "I am just as curious as you are. I'll put a trigger in place on this crossroads. It'll span past the length of Hogsmeade. If he passes the boundary, we'll know about it." Hermione made quick work of the alarm system, taking just a few short minutes of repeated incantation. "There! If he heads back into Hogsmeade, we'll know about it right away!"

"You're brilliant Hermione," Harry laughed.

"Nope," she replied. "I just paid attention to Flitwick in Charms class." Looking much more cheerful, she grabbed Harry's hand and smiled. "To the Ministry?"

"To the Ministry," he replied.

As the two young Aurors disapparated, a shadow stirred behind the downpour of rain.

**A/N: **_**Revelio Soulaeus **_**– a spell I have created which should reveal any hidden living presence**


	4. All in Good Time

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Harry and Hermione apparated into the main Atrium to the Auror offices, deep within the Ministry of Magic. It was a small, circular room, dark wooden panels lining the walls, black marble covering the floor. Where apparation cannot take place within the majority of the Ministry, the entrance to the Auror offices was different, allowing Aurors to come and go quickly in cases of emergency.

As they materialised, six Aurors ran into the Atrium, wands raised at the duo. Harry and Hermione pulled their wands out instantly, both on high alert. Hermione muttered under her breath.

A stern female voice echoed from nowhere. _"NOW!"_

All six Aurors sent stunning spells at the duo. Harry raised his wand to defend, before realising Hermione had lowered hers. All six beams of red light hit an invisible shield two feet in front of them, revealing a dome surrounding two young Aurors. Their attackers lowered their wands.

"Did I ever tell you just how brilliant you are?" Harry asked Hermione with a laugh.

"Maybe…" Hermione spun her wand between her hands, smiling.

The large double doors that led into the offices opened up to reveal a tall, thin, middle-aged woman wearing ruby-red robes and high-heeled shoes. She approached the Aurors confidently.

"Apologies for the rather abrupt welcoming committee," she said in the same stern voice that rang through the room moments before. "We had to be sure you weren't imposters." The six Aurors sheathed their wands and made their way into the offices. "A truly remarkable shielding charm, Hermione – but you can lower it now."

"Who are you?" Hermione asked as she waved her wand, dissolving the shield before them.

"My name is Mildred Janes. I am head of the Auror department. I'm not surprised you don't know me – I don't normally meet new recruits until after their first probation year. But you two are different. Come," she signalled for them to walk with her into the offices, "we have much to discuss."

They walked through the double-doors into a large open plan room, the walls and floor the same colour and material as the atrium. Desks were lined several rows across on either side of the hall, separated by dividers six foot high, forming individual office booths. Balls of fire hovered over the desks and walkways, emitting the room's only source of light. In the middle of the room stood a large see-through dome, surrounded by more balls of fire. As they approached, Harry could make out a large executive desk inside it.

"I took over as head of the Auror department shortly after the Battle of Hogwarts, just after the new Minister for Magic was announced," Mildred explained as they approached the dome. Aurors at desks closest to them looked over curiously. "Since then I've been trying to reform the way we work, but recent events have… well, the Death Eaters have made it quite difficult for us." She pulled her robes back and slid her wand out from a sheath clipped to her belt. As she waved it at the dome, it's clear solid walls glistened brightly, and she walked straight through it into her office. Harry and Hermione paused for a second before continuing after her.

At first impressions the interior of the dome was bland – you could see through the walls out into the rest of the hall, leaving no wall space for pictures or ornaments and no room for privacy. It was empty apart from a massive executive desk in the centre, a large oak chair on one side, and two swivel chairs opposite it. The floor was the same black marble as the rest of the hall.

"Please take a seat," Mildred advised as she sat in the large chair behind her desk. As Harry and Hermione sat opposite her, the whole dome changed. The see-through walls morphed into a dark solid wood, revealing portraits, shelves full of books, and statues. Balls of fire burst into life above them, revealing a rich brown carpet where the cold marble lay moments before. In one corner of the room stood a suit of ancient armour, slightly rusted, a long sword in its hand which was raised upwards. In the opposite corner stood a model skeleton; at least, Hermione hoped it was a model.

"As you know, during your final trials last night a small group of Death Eaters infiltrated the Ministry and managed to apparate inside our training facility, interrupting your final test." Harry noticed several people in the nearest portrait move in closer to listen. "I received word from Professor McGonagall moments after it happened, advising you would both be travelling to see her when you reached the Apparation Circle." She lifted a Death Eater mask from the table and showed it to the Aurors. "Early this morning, I was woken by an owl carrying this. It had a note pinned to it from Minerva, explaining the events in Hogsmeade last night." She placed the mask back on the table. "I want you both to hunt this jackal down."

The three of them sat in silence for several minutes. Hermione was first to speak.

"Um, do you know where we should begin?"

Mildred laughed. "Not a clue, Hermione. We will know in good time, I am sure. What I suggest you both do is go home for the rest of the day and relax. Come back here tomorrow – we will have desks set up for you by then… well, if the Department of Furniture and Supplies can get up off their lazy arses and actually do their job for a day!

"Work through cases as normal. When I hear of anything suspicious, I'll call for you."

"Thanks ma'am," Hermione got up to leave before she noticed Harry was still sitting.

"Is there something else, Harry?" Mildred asked.

Harry paused for a moment before responding. "What is this place?" he asked, looking around the office in amazement.

Mildred smiled, and tapped her nose. "All in good time."

/ - / - / - /

The elevator ride up to the main Atrium of the Ministry passed in silence. As the lift pulled to a stop, Hermione spoke.

"Um, Harry… Would you mind if I… well, I mean…"

"Yes, Hermione," Harry replied, looking at his friend reassuringly. "You can stay at mine as long as you want."

"Thanks Harry," Hermione replied gratefully. As they walked past the massive statue of the new Minister for Magic, she remembered Ginny. "Wait, Harry, I don't want to intrude on you and Ginny. You haven't seen her in days, and –"

"Hermione," Harry stopped her short, "you're not the only one with relationship problems." His friend looked at him, worried. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about… she's, well, she's staying at The Burrow for a few days. She needs some time." Harry shuffled his feet as they made their way to the massive fireplaces that would take them home. As they approached one, Hermione turned to him.

"I'm sure it'll be fine Harry." She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. A warm feeling flooded through his head.

"Yeah," he replied, trying to shake the feeling off. "It'll be fine."

/ - / - / - /

Their arrival at 12 Grimmauld Place came without a hitch. As they climbed out of the fireplace in the kitchen and dusted off, Hermione observed her surroundings.

"This place looks amazing Harry! How long did it take you?"

The walls were a neutral, crème colour, dirt and grime scrubbed away after months of monotonous labour. The tiles around the sink were shining brightly in the firelight. The chandelier hanging over the dinner table was also glistening – as golden as a sunset in May.

"A long time," Harry admitted. "Mr Weasley and George helped a lot. Come on," he took Hermione's hand. "I'll give you the grand tour!"

Hermione was impressed. Mainly because she could now sit down with the knowledge that wherever she sat was clean and curse-free. And the screaming portrait of Walburga Black had been successfully removed – after thirty-seven pain-staking attempts!

Later that evening, the pair sat in the living room with a glass of wine, talking over the last couple of days. Hermione sat cross-legged.

"Something must have happened," Hermione pondered, taking a sip of her wine. "They wouldn't have reappeared otherwise…."

"Maybe they're insane?" Harry suggested. The warm feeling he had experienced at the Ministry earlier that day had returned ten-fold. He couldn't take his eyes off Hermione.

"No… they appear too organised for that." Taking another sip, she inched closer to Harry, her knee touching his leg. His heart began to race. "What happened with Ginny?"

The question took Harry by surprise. Regaining some focus, he explained the situation. "Ginny… missed me. While I was away training for this job…" He took another sip of wine. "We lost our… spark. Our connection." Seizing the opportunity, he turned the conversation round. "What's happening with Ron?"

Hermione quickly took a sip of wine, struggling to best word her next sentence. "He's just not the same. He's… been seeing someone. I think. He won't admit it – says I'm being paranoid. But," She turned round to face Harry directly, "you noticed the awkwardness last night?"

"Well, yeah, but –"

"So you see where I'm coming from." She sighed and took another drink from her wine glass. "Something's not right with him…"

Part of Harry felt for his old friend Ron – there was a time when they were nay-inseparable. But deep down, Harry knew he had been hiding his feelings towards Hermione for a long time – feelings that had grown stronger since they were paired for the Auror Trials.

His conscience getting the better of him, he took another sip of wine before continuing. "Maybe he is cheating on you, but that doesn't sound like Ron, does it? Maybe –"

"Harry," Hermione said forcefully. Harry felt her hand on his leg, so he turned to face her directly. Her skin was perfectly smooth, her long wavy brown hair hanging over her shoulders neatly, her eyes glistening fiercely. "Just kiss me."

Letting go of his conscience, he moved forward, his lips meeting hers in a simple, perfect moment. His heartbeat accelerated as they embraced. He felt her arms wrap around him. He began to slowly slide his hands over her body. She lifted herself onto his lap as he kissed her harder. Tongues started to touch. He felt her hand begin to slide under his jeans–

She pushed herself off of him with a sudden, panic-ridden force, falling off the sofa and landing on her back in the process. Scrambling to her feet, she whipped out her wand and pointed it behind Harry, fury now dominating her ever-beautiful face. She was shaking with anger, the tip of her wand glowed bright red.

"How the hell did _you_ get in here?" she snarled.

Harry pulled out his wand as he rose to his feet. When he saw the man Hermione was aiming at, he froze with shock.

"Nice to see you too, Granger!" Draco Malfoy replied, sneering. His wand was pointed at Harry, the tip of it glowing green…


	5. Feather of a Phoenix

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

"Start talking, Malfoy!" Harry ordered, aiming his wand at Draco's face.

Draco smirked and took a step forward. "I think I'd much rather watch the show, though what Granger sees in a piece of filth like you Potter, I'll never know."

"Stupify!" Hermione yelled. Draco deflected the spell just in time.

"Right, I guess that's enough fun to be had…" Draco slowly lowered his wand. Harry and Hermione kept their guard.

"Sit," Harry snarled, pointing to a chair opposite the sofa. Draco sat down without a fuss. Harry looked to Hermione, who nodded. They both sat back down on the sofa.

"First," Hermione seethed, "how did you get in here?"

Draco smiled. "Once you know where to look, it's very easy to find." He noticed Hermione's livid expression, and came clean. "Alright! McGonagall came to see me last night. She told me."

"What would McGonagall want with _you_?" Harry asked.

"Information. Being head of Slytherin House has its advantages."

Hermione clicked. "She asked you to listen in on the Slytherin students?"

"Yes." Draco raised his wand, causing Harry to raise his. Smirking, he made three circular motions, causing a wine glass to materialise on the coffee table before them. Pouring himself a glass of wine, he continued. "And in just one night I learned a significant amount. Now, most of this is probably just rumour, but I thought it warranted a visit, and McGonagall agreed."

"Go on," Harry said, curious now.

"Patience, Potter…" Draco teased, before turning his attentions to Hermione. "Your button's undone."

Looking at her blouse, she noticed it was open a button too far, revealing a small amount of cleavage. Blushing slightly, she popped the button back in.

"There was talk of the battle in Hogsmeade that took place earlier that night – we all know what happened there. But what did catch my attention was a rumour concerning the Death Eaters motives.

"According to a semi-corrupt little squirt in third-year, they were looking for something quite powerful – an object that appears to be leading them to Hogwarts." He took a sip of wine. "Some mentioned the Elder Wand, others spoke of a book containing strong dark magic. Alas, both these objects are subject to many a rumour nowadays. But what _did_ catch my attention was the theory they were looking for a golden feather." Draco leaned in closer. "_I_ think they were searching for a phoenix!"

"A phoenix…" Harry repeated. "Could they mean Fawkes?"

"It would be a fool's errand," Hermione continued. "When a Phoenix's master dies it spends much of the remainder of its life in mourning. And Fawkes flew away from Hogwarts shortly after Dumbledore's death. He hasn't been seen near the castle since."

"But he has been heard." Harry and Hermione turned back to Draco, who had finished the last of his wine and stood up to leave. "Every year students claim to have heard Fawkes' song; singing softly in the night, on the anniversary of his master's death." He sheathed his wand, and walked to the door. "I'm off. If I hear anything more, I'll be in touch."

The two Aurors sat in silence until they heard the front door close. Then Hermione sighed.

"A lot to think about…" she whispered.

Harry nodded. "Yeah… but now's not the time for it." Hermione looked at him, puzzled. "We can look into it at _work_, Hermione. Tomorrow. Yes?" Hermione smiled and nodded her approval. "Good." he said, jumping to his feet. "Now, to lock that door…"

As he reached the front door, he heard a floorboard squeak behind him. Looking back, he saw Hermione walking up the stairs, graceful even from behind. She was fiddling with something in front of her.

"Hermione?"

"I'm going for a shower…" she chirped. "Care to join?"

As her slender legs disappeared from view, her blouse hit the stairs.

The front door remained unlocked.


	6. A General Disturbance

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Harry woke up the following morning refreshed. The bedroom curtains were already open. Sunlight shone through the window, bathing him in a pleasant warm light. Looking to his right, his eyes met Hermione's. She was lying on her side, the covers only just covering her body. She gave him a cheeky smile.

"That was _incredible _last night…" she whispered, biting her lip seductively. He felt her leg rub up against his, the touch of her naked flesh sending butterflies through his stomach.

"Wow…" Harry replied, blood rushing to his head as Hermione slid herself over him. He could feel her toes rubbing against his feet; smell the orange-blossom in her thick, wavy hair; feel the soft skin of her breasts as they pressed against his chest.

Hermione moaned softly as Harry's placed his hands on the base of her back, slowly running his fingers up the arch to her neck, and back down again. After a few seconds of this, she looked at him, amused.

"Happy to see me, are you?" she teased, lifting her body up a fraction as she slid a hand downwards, stopping just short. "A little something for you to think about at work today…" she whispered, kissing him softly on the lips as she moved her hand down further. Harry's heartbeat accelerated and, blood all but drained from his head, he let his hands slide down over her perfectly-formed arse. Smiling, she lifted herself off him, and climbed out of bed.

"Get up!" she laughed as she pulled a silk dressing gown over her soft, naked body, the different shades of orange and red glistening brightly in the morning sunlight. "There'll be time for that tonight!" Harry just stared, mesmerised by the beauty that stood before him. "Harry!" she giggled, blushing as she threw a shirt from the floor in his direction. Catching it, he sat up, laughing as Hermione skipped through the door towards the bathroom.

That was when a piece of the puzzle slotted into place.

Harry jumped out of bed and followed Hermione into the bathroom, stopping to chap on the door before he entered.

"Come in," Hermione mumbled through a mouth full of toothpaste, unable to hide the smile on her face as she watched him walk in through the mirror. "Walk around the house naked a lot, do you?" she giggled as she spat into the sink.

"I have a theory," Harry said, trying to ignore Hermione's tease. His cheeks blushed despite his best attempts to focus. "What if the Death Eaters aren't looking for any phoenix they can lay eyes on? What if they are specifically searching for Fawkes?"

Hermione opened a make-up case she had brought through, and began applying her foundation. "How did your train of thought get from sex to this?" She asked with a wink.

"Your… your gown reminded me of a phoenix's colouring," Harry explained, blushing slightly more.

Smiling to herself, Hermione's mind went into motion as she brought out her mascara. Harry collected his toothbrush and began brushing his teeth. As he brushed, Hermione had moved onto her blusher, then her lipstick. Once she had finished she turned to face him, brow furrowed in deep thought.

"We discussed this last night – going after Fawkes would be fool-hardy. And _that's _provided they find him. But… you may be onto something, Harry!" she said as they walked back towards the bedroom. "Fawkes did gift a feather to both your original wand and Voldemort's, and needless to say, they were both very powerful…" As they entered the bedroom, Hermione reached into her handbag and started pulling out freshly ironed clothes. Harry pulled his from a drawer next to the window.

"What? You think they may be trying to create a wand?" Harry asked as he got dressed.

"Not just any ordinary wand," Hermione answered as she pulled a blouse over a light green bra that Harry had been admiring her put on moments before. "They wouldn't attempt to create a wand themselves. Wandlore is too complicated for the average brute to understand." She pulled on a pair of green lace underwear, followed by a pair of black trousers. Harry sighed, causing Hermione to look up, smirking. "I know you were looking," she teased.

"You're having so much fun doing this, aren't you?" Harry asked as he watched Hermione pull fresh black robes out of her handbag. Pulling one over her shoulders, she walked over to Harry, so close her lips were nearly touching his. The smell of her perfume was intoxicating, causing Harry's heartbeat to accelerate again.

"Of course I am," she whispered seductively, pecking his lips before handing him the other robe. Smiling, she slowly backed her way towards the door, picking her wand up from the bedside table as she did. She waved it at the bed, sending the quilt into the air to shake itself straight as the pillows fluffed themselves up. The quilt landed neatly, covering every inch of the matrass. The bed looked like it had never been touched. "Coming, Harry?" Hermione chirped, skipping out of the room towards their first official day of work.

/ - / - / - /

Harry and Hermione were welcomed at the doors to the Auror Offices by a small man with white hair gelled into small spikes. He wore black robes similar to theirs, with red thread embroidered through the seams. He introduced himself as Henry Stone.

He pointed out the restrooms and canteen, both situated past Mildred's dome, out of sight from the entrance. He then showed them to two desks that had been added to the end of a row, a divider separating them from the rest of the desks around them. A swivel chair sat at each desk.

"This shall be your booth," Henry advised. "We're starting you in the General Disturbances Office. You should find all to be in order." He left on that note, making his way back towards the entrance. Harry grimaced.

"Well, he was helpful…" He looked at their booth and sighed. "At least we have desks."

"And chairs," Hermione added as she sat at the desk on the left. "So what we need is…" She reached inside her handbag and pulled out two ink-pots, two quills and a ream of parchment. "There!" She exclaimed happily, laying them out between the two desks.

"Brilliant…" Harry said as he sat in his seat. "What do we do now?"

Hermione was already tearing sheets of parchment from the ream. Then she rummaged through her handbag, pulling out a small tub of multi-coloured drawing pins. Taking a few, she started pinning blank sheets of parchment onto the false wall in front of them. Once finished, she began waving her wand across the pages, chanting "Mysterio Paparae!" After a minute of chanting she stopped and started to flick her wand across the space before her. Ink seeped out of the middle page, forming words before their eyes and slowly draining Hermione's ink-pot. It read _Death Eaters_. She did the same with three other pieces of paper surrounding the first, one reading _Ministry Infiltration_, another _Hogsmeade Attack_ and the third _Hogwarts Rumours_. Around the third she pinned three more pages. On one she wrote _Elder Wand_, on the second _Dark Magic_, and on the last _Phoenix Feather_. Stepping back, she admired her handiwork.

"So this is what we know just now," Hermione said. "As we learn anything new, we can add it to this mind-map. It'll make it easier to figure out any patterns that might emerge."

Harry smiled at Hermione's brilliance. Pulling out his wand, he scored an orange line between _Elder Wand_ and _Phoenix Feather_. "A possible link," he explained as he returned his wand to his belt. "They may be looking for Fawkes in an attempt to create another Elder Wand, or something similar."

"That would suggest…" Hermione scored an orange line between _Elder Wand _and _Dark Magic_, and another connecting that with _Phoenix Feather_, "that all three of these may be connected. But this is all based on the assumption that they are searching for a phoenix." She sheathed her wand with a sigh.

"It's a start. What if – ouch!" A small parcel fell from the ceiling, hitting Harry mid-sentence and landing on the floor with a chink. Looking up, he saw a large eagle-owl flying back towards the dome.

Hermione ripped the brown wrappings from the package and opened the box underneath.

"Our badges," she confirmed, pulling out two small silver shields. She passed one to Harry, and attached hers to her blouse so her robes covered it up. Harry did the same, pinning his to his shirt.

"As I was saying –" Harry tried to continue, forced to stop again as a small purple envelope materialised out of thin air before them. Hovering above the tables, it opened up to reveal a short note in large, cursive handwriting:

_General Disturbance_

_136 Charring Drive, Nottingham_

_Suspected: Domestic Dispute_

"Our first call-out?" Harry asked, snakes beginning to coil in his stomach.

"Looks like it!" Hermione answered, a glint shining through her eyes as they made their way towards the Atrium. As they arrived, she turned to face Harry, her wand already drawn. "Wand out, Harry."

As he pulled his wand from his belt, a sudden thought sprang to his mind. "How are we going to apparate to Nottingham, Hermione? I've never been before!"

Hermione took his hand and winked at him. "The same way we found ourselves in that field with McGonagall."

Spinning together, the two lovers disapparated from sight, moving towards their first duties as Aurors.

/ - / - / - /

The pair apparated inside a small, dark living room. The walls and floor were dirty; a damp smell filled the air. Where the ceiling-light should have been hung a skull, eye sockets shining a dull yellow. The only other source of light was a tall lamp in the corner closest a double-window to their right, made from what appeared to be bones from a human spine.

On one side of the room stood a tall, muscular man in his mid-forties with short brown hair, wearing leather boots, ripped jeans and a dirty-white vest. On the other side stood an average-sized woman wearing torn, brown trousers, a long black top and flat black slip-ons. Her hair was dirty-blonde. Both had their wands raised, sending curses at each other with equal hatred.

"How DARE you!" the woman shrieked, unleashing a purple ball of fire at the man. He deflected it, hitting a mirror in the process, sending shards of splintering glass in all directions.

"BITCH!" the man seethed, firing short bursts of orange light at the woman. She too deflected the attacks, sending them smashing through the window and into the street outside.

"STOP!" Harry ordered, pointing his wand at the man. Hermione pointed hers towards the woman. "Auror Office! Lower your wands, now!"

The man and woman looked to the two Aurors, then back to each other. Acting as one, they turned and began firing curses at the new arrivals.

_Protego!_ Harry deflected a disarming spell, smashing the skull-light from the ceiling. He retaliated with a spell of his own, which was deflected into a door by his attacker. The man sneered madly.

"Harry, cover me!" Hermione yelled, defending against an onslaught of jinxes from the woman. Her wand danced in front of her gracefully, deflecting each jinx with amazing speed.

Hearing her call, Harry dived in front of her, deflecting the brunt of the woman's jinxes. As they slowly backed into a corner, the man joined the woman, sending a new wave of curses in their direction.

"I hope you have an idea, Hermione!" Harry shouted as the walls around them started to splinter from the onslaught. Behind him, Hermione muttered under her breath several seconds before waving her wand in a complicated yet beautiful motion.

"Bindaeus!" she screamed, swishing her wand before her in a final, confident flick. Thick ropes sprang from her wand and latched themselves around the woman with incredible power, sending her wand flying as she fell backwards to the floor with a thump.

"Take this you bastard!" the man growled, sending a purple curse at Harry. He deflected it with ease, sending it back to its master, hitting him square in the chest. With a grunt, the man fell to the floor, black lumps sprouting over his face and neck.

"That was a _general_ disturbance?" Harry asked as he caught his breath.

"Promise me _we'll_ never fight like that!" Hermione gasped as she approached the woman, wand raised. Panting, Harry approached the man, kicking the wand from his limp hand before bending down to examine the black lumps on his face.

The woman struggled against the ropes with all her might, to no avail. The Auror knelt over her, pointing her wand directly between her eyes. She continued to struggle regardless.

"What _is_ this?" Harry asked, perplexed as he watched the black marks spread slowly, contaminating any skin that had not been initially affected by the curse. The man's eyes were wide open and still, but he continued to breathe at a regular pace.

"I don't know," Hermione replied as she looked over. "Someone at the office may recognise it." She stood and waved her wand above her head. A green ball of light shot out from the tip, flying through the ceiling as if it was not there. Seconds later, three more Aurors apparated into the room. One of them was Henry Stone.

"Good work on your first assignment…" Henry commended them as the other two Aurors set to work repairing the living room. "Those two are part of the Chaos Office – they clear up our mess." He turned towards the man and grimaced. "Ouch… that is quite a nasty curse. Was it a backfire?"

"A deflection," Harry replied. "Do you know what it is?"

"No…" Henry answered as he knelt to examine the man more closely. "Don't touch him – it could be contagious." He spotted something on his face, and leaned in closer. "Odd…"

"What's odd?" Hermione asked curiously, leaving the bound woman on the floor.

"This tattoo," he pointed to two letters on the man's right temple with his wand. "DS… interesting…" Standing up sharply, he waved his wand the same way Hermione had done before, releasing ropes that bound the man tightly. "We had better take these two into custody. I'll escort the cursed man." With that, he disapparated from sight, taking the man with him. Hermione looked at Harry with a worried expression.

"What are you thinking?" Harry asked, unnerved by his partner's stare.

"Henry knows something," Hermione whispered so the other two men couldn't hear. "He's seen that tattoo somewhere before, I could see it on his face!"

"You mean he's hiding something?"

Hermione nodded. Together, they looked down at the woman, bound tightly by the ropes Hermione had let loose on her. She was no longer struggling against them, her eyes wide with something wild...

**A/N: **_**Mysterio Paparae**_** is a spell I have created which allows the user to write on paper/parchment using their wand**

**A/N: **_**Bindaeus **_**is a spell I have created which binds the target in thick, tight ropes**


	7. Hillary De Rane

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Hermione stood in a small, plain room. Three walls were made of white ceramic, the floor the same black marble as the rest of the Auror Offices. The fourth wall was made of reinforced glass, through which she could see a larger room, the walls, floor and ceiling of which were all white. On one side of the room was a large metal sink. Next to that stood three tall bins, one yellow, one blue and one white. On the opposite side of the room stood three trolleys, small metal instruments lying on each shelf underneath individual white cloths. In the middle of the room sat a hospital bed, a white sheet covering the body resting atop it. It hadn't moved a millimetre since before entering the room and Hermione was staring at it intensely.

A woman entered the white room through a door barely visible to the left of the sink. She was wearing white shoes, white trousers, and a white t-shirt with a lab coat unbuttoned over it, which hung down to her knees. Her face was covered by a surgical mask, her red hair tied up in a tight bun. Her eyes shone bright green.

She walked up to the table and uncovered the body as far as its navel, being careful not to touch the body itself. Its skin was completely black, nearly every inch of it covered in large, sticky scabs. Hermione didn't flinch.

Pulling out her wand, the pathologist flicked it towards a trolley. Five different instruments left their beds of cloth, crossing the room and hovering steadily over the body. Like a conductor facing the most grand of orchestras, she began.

/ - / - / - /

Harry sat in a small, dark interrogation room. The only light was from a single candle flickering softly above a large granite-stone table. The walls and floor were pitch black, making the room feel even smaller than it was. The ceiling was one hundred metres above them, invisible in the dull light of the room. After five minutes of sitting there Harry could not even make out the walls. It was like darkness was surrounding him; all-consuming and never-ending.

Sat to his left was Henry Stone, looking deadly serious. A sheet of parchment sat on the table before him, a Quick-Quotes Quill poised and ready.

Opposite the two Aurors sat the woman they had arrested almost a week ago during Harry and Hermione's first day. Her hands and feet were bound in invisible ropes that sent electric shocks through her body should she pull them too far apart. Her hair was wild, but clean. She had the same insane look in her eyes as the night she was arrested.

"You haven't so much as muttered a single syllable since the day we brought you here," Henry said to the woman sourly. The quill began scribbling frantically as he spoke. "We know your name is Hillary De Rane. We know you reside at 136 Charring Drive, Nottingham. We know you were living with one," he checked his notes, "Samuel Chester, now deceased." He paused to observe any reaction. There was none. "Would you rather we just send you to Azkaban?" he sneered at her, trying a different approach. "The Dementors would suck you dry within the first week, leaving you sat there – hollow, soulless…"

Still no reaction, Harry noticed a vein near Henry's temple start to throb. He took a breath, resorting back to his initial tactic. Reaching under the table, he pulled out a clear evidence bag. A long, thin ebony wand lay inside it. Henry placed the bag on the table, and pushed it towards her.

"Unicorn hair. Nine and a half inches. Rigid. Did this wand belong to Samuel Chester?" Hillary remained silent, staring past the two Aurors into the darkness around them. "Well?" Nothing. Henry's face turned beetroot. "Answer me, woman!" he snarled.

"What does DS stand for?" Harry asked tactfully. Henry turned to him, seething. Hillary cocked her head, the corners of her thin, colourless lips creeping upwards.

"Mr Potter, a word if you please." Henry made to leave, but Harry remained seated, starring the crazed woman in the face.

"Come on…" Harry said, sitting back in his chair calmly. "You want to tell me. Even if you don't want to tell me anything else…" He leaned in close, and she mimicked him. Mere centimetres from her nose, he whispered with assurance, "You want to tell me this…"

"Mr Potter!" Henry was near exploding with rage. His anger only encouraged Hillary, who beamed with delight at his frustration.

"_Death Stalkers_…" she hissed in Harry's ear. Her head shot back as she started laughing hysterically, succumbing to her inevitable madness.

/ - / - / - /

"What do you think you are playing at?" Henry erupted after they left the interrogation room. "I told you specifically to sit there and stay silent! I only allowed you in there because Granger and yourself arrested her! Now we have a cursed corpse _and_ an insane woman! What good is that?"

"No! You only allowed me in there under a direct order from Mildred! Chester is dead through his own stupidity. De Rane was already insane!" Harry retaliated as they stormed into the offices. "I used her madness to our advantage. At least I got some information through it!"

"Yes," Henry snapped, turning towards Harry with fury across his face, jabbing him in the chest with a long, pointed finger. "Information we _already_ had!"

Harry felt his face go red. "You already knew?" he snarled as they stormed onwards. "You already knew and you didn't tell us?"

"It's on a need-to-know basis, Potter! You and your darling little girlfriend _did not need to know!_" They turned out of a row of booths and into the main walkway, storming towards the Dome as quickly as they could without running. "We'll see what Mildred has to say about this!"

As they approached the Dome, Harry noticed it was no longer see-through, but as black as the marble floor beneath their feet. Cursing, Henry whipped out his wand and slashed it, firing a bright yellow orb at the office. It hit with a loud dong similar to a cathedral bell, causing every Auror in the room to look up, searching for the source of the disruption.

After ten seconds of nothing but muttering from the men and women around them, a golden door materialised on the Dome before them. Henry stormed ahead, swinging it open with all the force he could muster. Harry followed, closing the door behind him.

Mildred Janes was sitting at her massive desk drinking from a tea cup. Hermione sat opposite her, doing the same. They both looked up as the two men approached.

"I want nothing more to do with him!" Henry yelled as he stormed towards the boss. He waved his wand, causing a statue of a phoenix sitting near the desk to morph into a third chair. Thumping himself into the seat, he continued. "He forced himself into the interrogation, ignoring _my_ views as the more experienced Auror, and continued to barrage the detainee for information on the bloody tattoo until she went insane!"

"She was _already_ insane!" Harry countered.

"Perhaps you should have filled him in on recent events before the start of the interrogation?" Mildred suggested quietly. Henry's shoulders slumped as Harry sat down beside Hermione, who was watching the conversation through sips of peppermint bliss.

"But it's on a need-to-know –"

"Yes, it is," Mildred smiled. "And they _do_ need to know, as per my memo to your division this morning." Henry sat back, defeated. Mildred turned to Harry. "You and Hermione have spent the last six days stuck inside these offices filling out the paperwork. Where this must have been extremely tedious, it is sometimes necessary. Thank you.

"Now to fill you in on the information we have." She took a sip of tea before continuing. "Two weeks before your final test Henry's division – Unnatural Disturbances – received an assignment leading them to an abandoned warehouse just south of Manchester. There were reports of a werewolf in the area and that was the most likely place it would choose to make a lair." She sighed sadly. "It was a trap. Four of Henry's team were murdered by a group calling themselves the Death Stalkers. We hadn't heard anything of them since, until your assignment last week."

Harry and Hermione looked to Henry, who sat perfectly still, all emotion drained. Harry was first to respond.

"Could these Death Stalkers be linked with the Ministry Infiltration and the attack on Hogsmeade?"

"We don't know," Mildred replied. "All we know is that the men and women that attacked Henry's team did not wear masks of any kind."

"That's how I recognised the tattoo on Chester's temple," Henry explained coldly. "I saw it on two of those bastards the night of the ambush."

"I want to create a team," Mildred continued. Henry looked up, baffled. "A team dedicated to tracking down Death Stalkers and Death Eaters alike. And I would like the two of you to head it up." She looked to Harry and Hermione, waiting for a response.

"Bullshit!" Henry snapped at his superior. "They killed half of my team, and you're giving the investigation to a couple of good-for-nothing, inexperienced little brats? Bullshit!"

"Watch your tone, Henry!" Mildred warned the Auror. "You are too close to this. Too… emotionally involved. Harry and Hermione have both fought Death Eaters in the past – they are hardly inexperienced!" Henry looked down at his feet, rage building in the pit of his stomach. Hermione broke the awkward silence that followed.

"Um, how will we know where to start?" she asked as she placed her empty teacup on the desk.

"You will be sent assignments similar to the one you received last week," Mildred explained. "They will be assignments we suspect are somehow linked to this new group of 'terrorists'."

"How many people will we have?" Harry asked.

"Three to begin with, not including yourselves. I'll be sending a memo out shortly to all departments, looking for volunteers. I'll bring the three of them to your desk tomorrow morning.

"Now, work to be done! I'll see you all tomorrow."

Henry barged past Harry as they left the Dome, knocking him sideways into Hermione. "Watch where you're going!" Harry snapped. Henry ignored him, storming off towards the Atrium.

"We'll need to keep an eye on him…" Hermione whispered as they made their way back to their booth.

"Yeah, he could cause a lot of trouble if he wanted too." As they sat, Hermione looked to her partner, troubled. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

She sighed. "Before you arrived with Henry, I was going over the autopsy results with Mildred."

"Oh!" Harry straightened up, intrigued.

"The curse that killed him was definitely Dark Magic," she continued. "As for what the curse was, no one can tell. They've had five different pathologists dissect him today _alone_, with both surgical tools _and _magic." She shifted in her seat, unsettled by something. Harry placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What is it?" Harry whispered, trying to reassure her with his touch. "What's wrong?"

She looked him straight in the eyes, allowing him to marvel at the many shades of brown glinting in the fire-light.

"He was definitely killed by a curse," she replied quietly. "But… not by the one he fired at you." She straightened up as Harry looked at her, confused. "Someone else was in that room with us, Harry. That Death Stalker was murdered…"


	8. The Man in the Mirror

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Hermione was leaning against the cool ceramic tiles of the bathroom wall, the shower blasting hot water over her naked body. It had been nearly an hour since she had last slept with Harry, but she could still feel him inside her, her muscles continuing to contract softly. She closed her eyes for a minute, allowing the waves of pleasure to consume her as she thought back to earlier that morning. A smile crept across her lips.

Opening her eyes, she moved herself completely under the fountain of water, allowing it to massage her body for a few more precious moments before turning it off. She stepped out of the shower, being careful not to slip, and grabbed a towel from the rail near the door. When she finished drying her body, she wrapped the towel around her and turned to the mirror at the sink, misted from the steam of the shower. She wiped the glass with a corner of her towel, before jumping back in shock at what was revealed.

She spun around to confront the intruder – to find no one behind her. The bathroom, as far as she could make out, was still completely empty. Still on guard, she turned back to the mirror, this time reflecting only herself and the room around her. Not convinced, she left the room a moment and returned with her wand, muttering incantations as she swished it in one direction, then flicked it in another. After several minutes of this she gave up, placing her wand on the worktop next to the sink as she returned to the mirror.

_What's up with me?_ She asked herself with a giggle. _Have I not had enough craziness this month?_ Sighing, she turned back to the mirror, her soft expression turning fierce at the reflection. She snatched her wand from the worktop and pointed it at the face of the man staring back at her. He had wavy black hair that hung at chin-level, with dark brown eyes and a few days' worth of grizzle covering his cheeks.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the mirror in case the image disappeared again.

The man remained silent. She began to shout on Harry, but stopped as the man raised a finger to his lips, signalling to stay quiet. When he was sure she would not yell for Harry, he lowered his finger and raised a closed hand. Opening it slowly, he revealed a snitch in his palm, wings curled around its glistening gold body. The man blew lightly on it, causing the wings to stir before unfurling themselves slowly.

Moments passed in silence as Hermione stared at the mirror, intrigued. Then, the snitch began beating its wings at super speed, rising off of the man's hand and darting side to side before flying away, disappearing from sight in a heartbeat. The man nodded at Hermione before disappearing, leaving her alone in the bathroom once more.

/ - / - / - /

"You should have called for me…" Harry whispered as they arrived at the offices later that morning.

"If I'd done that he could have vanished!" Hermione defended herself. "Then I wouldn't have received the message." As they arrived at their desks, Hermione tore another two sheets from a ream of parchment and pinned them to the wall, slightly to the left of their ever-growing mind map. Enchanting them like the others, she scribbled through the air with her wand, causing words to form in ink on the latest instalments to their investigation. One read _The Man in the Mirror_, to which she scored a green line to the second piece of parchment, which now read _Snitch_.

"How do we know this is even linked to the Death Stalkers?" Harry asked as he sat at his desk.

"We don't. That's why I've left them to the side of the bigger picture." Hermione stared at the rest of the mind map intently, trying to work out any patterns or clues. She had added new sheets since arresting the Death Stalkers – _DS Domestic_, with another sheet on either side of it connected by green lines, one reading _Samuel Chester_ and the other _Hillary De Rane_. Samuel's name had a red line struck through it, while Hillary's had a second green line connecting it to another sheet of parchment – _Azkaban_.

As they pondered over the mind map Mildred approached, a man and two women following behind her. As her footsteps drew closer Harry and Hermione looked up, recognising one of the faces immediately.

"Katie!" Hermione beamed, jumping from her seat and hugging the old friend hard. "How are you? It's been ages!"

"It's been a long year!" Katie laughed as she hugged her back. Then she looked to Harry, who had risen from his seat to join them. "Hey, Harry!"

"Long time no see," Harry laughed as they hugged. Then they all turned to Mildred.

"Well, I see Miss Bell doesn't need introduced," Mildred noted. "This is Joanna Keys," she pointed to a tall woman in her late-twenties with straight blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. "And this is another new-recruit, Mathew Alexander." She gestured to a muscular young man with short brown hair and hazel eyes. He seemed to be attempting to grow a small goatee – and failing miserably. "Keys, Alexander and Bell have all volunteered to join your new department. Now, I'll leave them in your capable hands while you get them up to speed." She turned to leave before remembered something. "Oh, and you're booth will be relocated overnight. Find Henry tomorrow morning and he'll show you to your new location. And I'd like you to come up with a name for this department. I look forward to hearing it!"

As she left, the other two Aurors shook hands with Harry and Hermione, re-introducing themselves as Jo and Matt. Laughing, Harry offered his chair to Katie, and Hermione caught them up on the investigation.

"So this is everything you have managed to learn?" Matt asked after Hermione filled them in, pointing to the mind map dominating the divider.

"Yeah," Harry replied, giving Hermione a break from talking. "It all spans out from that larger middle sheet there… the orange lines mean a possible connection and the green lines a definite one. And a red line through a name means they're dead." He finished bluntly.

"What about these two sheets?" Jo asked curiously, pointing to the latest instalments to the wall, just left of the bigger mind map. "What do they have to do with this?"

"Maybe nothing," Harry answered, telling them what had happened earlier that morning. Afterwards, Katie turned to Hermione, curiosity shining through her eyes. Before she could feed her curiosity, Matt continued.

"Right, so what now?" As if answering his question, a purple envelope dropped from the ceiling. Tearing itself open, it folded out to reveal a short message, written in the same cursive handwriting as before. A chill ran through the team as they read:

_Warehouse 4 – Unit 6_

_Broxton Drive_

_Hereford_

_Suspected Murder_


	9. A Second Chance

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

"This could be a trap," Katie warned the newly-formed team as they strode through the office towards the Atrium. "Nearly a month ago Unnatural Disturbances investigated an apparent werewolf attack in Manchester. Their investigation led them to an abandoned warehouse, where they were ambushed by these Death Stalkers. Four of the team were killed."

"So we could be walking straight into a trap?" Matt asked, his voice rising an octave. He knocked into Henry in his panic, causing the bitter man to swear at him in response, despite his genuine apologies. He caught up with the rest of the team as they approached the double-doors.

"Look," Hermione stopped them all short of the Atrium. "Every assignment we get sent out too – every domestic, drunken argument, or robbery – we may never know what to expect until we're there. This is no different." She looked at each Auror in turn. "Are you with us one hundred per cent? Because if you're not, tell us now and we'll get someone else in who is." Katie, Jo and Matt all nodded. Harry smiled at Hermione as they entered the Atrium, giving her a supportive wink. She returned his smile as she unsheathed her wand.

"Wands at the ready…" Harry told the team as they got into position. "On my count – three… two… one…"

The new team disapparated as one, leaving an enraged Henry standing alone at the doors.

/ - / - / - /

The sun was shining brightly as the team apparated outside a derelict warehouse on the outskirts of Hereford. All around them were piles of half-rusted scrap metal and junk. The main entrance to the warehouse was directly in front of them, one door slightly ajar while a chain dangled loosely from the other.

"Hermione, Katie – can you two circle the perimeter for any additional entrances?" Harry asked. The women nodded. "We don't want to take any chances…"

Hermione kissed Harry softly on the cheek, then whispered "Be careful!" in his ear before running to catch up with Katie. Turning back towards the warehouse, Harry, Jo and Matt tip-toed inside, making sure not to touch the doors as they squeezed through.

For the amount of junk surrounding the warehouse, its interior was relatively bare. The sun shone through several large holes in the roof, lighting the room well enough to see by. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Harry noticed a body lying in a pool of light near the middle of the warehouse. He pointed it out to his companions.

"Too convenient," Jo whispered to Harry. Nodding, Harry stood his ground until Hermione and Katie appeared at the opposite end of the room. As soon as they saw the body they stopped, looking to Harry for the next move.

_They could have cursed the body…_ Harry pondered to himself. Eventually, he pointed to a nearby crate. _Wingardium Leviosa!_

The crate rose into the air silently. After leaving it to hover a moment, Harry sent it flying towards the body. As soon as the crate touched the beam of sunlight, three Death Stalkers apparated in a circle around it, blasting green beams of light at what they thought to be their next victim. The crate exploded with the force of their spells' impact, sending splinters and planks flying in all directions, striking the Death Stalkers before they knew what hit them.

"STUPIFY!" The Aurors screamed in unison. The stunning spells struck their targets like bolts of red lightning, causing them to spasm for a second before falling to the floor, defenceless. Wands pointed, the team approached, Jo collecting the Death Stalkers' wands.

"He's dead," Hermione told Harry after checking the body. "The bastards killed a man to use as bait!"

"I'd nearly forgotten just how brutal these bastards are…" Katie muttered.

Harry examined the three Death Stalkers. Two were strangers to him – both women, both in their late thirties. One had long black hair and a small nose while the other was a brunette with a scar down the left side of her face. Both had DS tattooed on the side of their necks. The man however, had no sign of any Death Stalker tattoos. His scarred face was burned beyond repair, his one good eye closed whilst his dead eye remained wide open. Harry recognised him instantly

"Is that…" Hermione started.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed, the disgust he was feeling obvious on his voice. "The bastard from the Hogsmeade attack. Maybe now we will get some answers."

/ - / - / - /

Harry had never felt so stressed in his life. From the second they returned to the office with the Death Stalkers Harry had taken the man into Interrogation and reversed the stunning spell. Since then he had remained with the prisoner in the interrogation room, desperately trying to pull any information possible from his lips. The man sat in complete silence the entire time, a nasty smirk across his face.

Four hours in, Matt appeared at the door, flooding the black room with a temporary source of light.

"Harry, can I have a quick word?"

Harry shot daggers at the prisoner for a few seconds more to no effect, then rose from his seat and left the room.

Squinting from the light of the corridor, Harry closed the door behind him. "Did you find anything?"

"Not much, but something," Matt replied, handing Harry a sheet of parchment. "His name's Varkus Nives. I found it in an old file from Voldemort's first reign. We have no information on where he used to live or where he lives now. Nor do we have anything concerning his family, if he has any. I'll let you know if I find anything more."

"Thanks. Do you know how the autopsy's going?"

"Afraid not. Hermione's still up there observing. Katie and Jo are interrogating the blonde woman and I'm letting the brunette simmer while I look up as much as I can on them all. But it's proving extremely difficult."

"You're doing a great job," Harry encouraged him. Then he had an idea. "Send an owl to Minerva McGonagall at Hogwarts. Ask her for any information she has on these three vermin while they were students."

"It was a while ago they were there Harry – and I don't have the names of the other two yet…"

"Then just send the one letter concerning Nives at the moment. Who knows – she may find something in the school records." Matt left to send the owl as Harry turned to go back into the room. But something stopped him going back in. He wasn't getting anywhere with Nives – De Rane was different, she was insane and easily manipulated. This Death Eater was not budging to anything, and truth be told Harry had very little experience in questioning. Which left just one choice. He did not want to do it, but it was his only chance to get Nives to talk.

/ - / - / - /

"Stop right there – now ask me again!" Henry asked, taking every last morsel of joy he could from Harry's proposal.

Biting his tongue with frustration, Harry repeated his question. "I'm… having trouble with this interrogation. I don't have a lot of experience on the matter – can you come in with me and help?"

Henry laughed hysterically, causing several people around them to look over. "Ask me again! Ask again!"

"Fuck off, Henry!" Harry snapped, already fed up with his attitude. "Will you do it or not?"

"Ok, Harry… I'll help you," Henry had a mischievous look in his eye. "For a price."

"Name it."

"I'll run the interrogation – you will sit in, but I will do the talking. If you think of something you want to ask, you whisper it to me." He paused for a second to let it sink in, then continued. "I also want full access to any files you procure concerning your investigations into the Death Stalkers, as well as regular updates on progress. Do this, and I will be at your beck and call should you need any form of assistance with this investigation." He smiled at Harry confidently. "Do we have a deal?"

Harry paused for thought. If accepting his help now meant giving him access to the entire investigation, was it worth it? At the same time, he could not ignore how valuable Henry's experience would be in the long run. In the end, only one factor could influence Harry's decision.

"I'll only agree to this under a condition of my own." Henry listened curiously. "You are not to use anything from our investigation to exact revenge, ok? We will bring them to justice, but through the proper means."

"Agreed," Henry nodded. "Now, watch and learn as I tear this scumbag apart…"


	10. The Twelfth Chime

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Several weeks passed without a breakthrough. The team continued to receive call-outs on a daily basis, but none linked into their main investigation and all were quickly passed on to other departments. They had not managed to get anywhere with Nives either, the only information coming from a pre-detention search in which the officer conducting it found a black skull and snake tattoo on the prisoner's left arm – the mark of a Death Eater. Even Henry's experienced questioning techniques fell short. Varkus Nives' lips remained sealed.

"I dunno how to get him talking," Harry muttered one morning as he ran a finger up and down the arch of Hermione's back. They were both lying naked on the bed, the quilt lying in a heap on the floor. Harry was still catching his breath after their early-morning antics.

"It's frustrating honey, I know - we're all feeling the same…" Hermione murmured through a pillow, enjoying Harry's touch against her bare skin. "He must have some vulnerability – we just haven't found it yet."

"We'll need to find it soon. It's like all the Death Eaters and Stalkers have gone into hiding. I don't like it. I think they're planning something – something big." He brushed his finger over a small freckle near her shoulder and began circling around it lightly.

"That tickles!" she giggled before turning on her side to face Harry. His hand slid from her shoulder and brushed over her left breast. Smiling, he gently circled a finger over her nipple, causing it to harden at his touch. "And _that's_ a tease!" Hermione whispered softly as she sighed with pleasure. Returning his smile, she rolled out of the bed and walked towards the door, allowing Harry to marvel once more over her perfectly formed body. "Fancy a shower?" she asked teasingly as she left the room. Harry followed quickly behind her.

/ - / - / - /

Harry and Hermione entered their office late that morning to find Mildred standing at one of the three desks they now possessed, pondering over a roll of parchment. Shortly after the new team was formed Mildred had their office relocated – it now resided in one of the few rooms separate of the many booths and desks that formed the majority of the Auror Office, through a dark wooden door to the left of the Dome. The floor to this office was the same black marble as the main offices, the walls a light cream colour and completely bare of portraits and ornaments. Six brightly-lit candles hovered around the room.

"Harry, Hermione, good to see you both," she greeted them with a smile. "Sorry to just appear out of the blue, but I have a lot of places to be today so figured it would be best to see you both before I leave."

"No problem at all – what can we do for you?" Hermione asked as she sat at her desk. Harry sat beside her as Mildred poured herself a coffee from a small kitchen counter to their left.

"Two things," she said as she sat in front of them. "Firstly, Professor Malfoy has discovered one of his students has a DS tattoo." Harry and Hermione stared at their boss, dumbstruck. "He's only a third year, but he may have information we need. I'd like you to go to Hogwarts and see if he knows anything."

"Of course," Harry replied. Mildred stood to leave, turning back to them as she reached the door. "And secondly – decide a name for your department please. I'm getting fed up of writing _Department 101_ on my paperwork." On that note, she left.

"A _student_?" Harry asked as Hermione turned her attention to the mind map, now dominating a large portion of the back wall to their office. "Why would the Death Stalkers be recruiting kids?"

"It's low – even for them…" Hermione replied as she pinned a new sheet of parchment – _DS Students_ – to the mind map and connecting it to the page _Hogwarts Rumours_ with an orange line. "Who should go to Hogwarts?"

Harry instantly thought of Ron, and what might happen if he ran into Hermione. "I'll take Henry if he's free – he has a better chance of getting information from the student than any of us." Hermione nodded, happy with his suggestion. "Right, could you find Katie, Jo and Matt and bring them up to speed? Who knows – they may have been able to retrieve info from one of the prisoners."

"Sure," Hermione replied as they left the office. "Don't be gone long," she told him, kissing him softly on the lips before running towards the questioning rooms in search of the team. Harry went in search of Henry, finding him in the canteen picking at a lonesome leaf of lettuce.

"Not busy by any chance?" Harry asked as he sat opposite the Auror.

"No – just pissed," Henry replied as he pushed his plate away. "Nives' jaw is shut tight. I've tried every combination of questions and every possible way I can think of manipulating him into answering. I've even resorted to a powerful batch of Veritaserum brewed by Professor Malfoy at Hogwarts! I expect he was conditioned to resist interrogation whilst he served under Voldemort."

"Well, I have a proposal that might take your mind off that scumbag for a couple of hours," Harry suggested. "Might clear your head a bit?"

Henry's face lit up at the prospect of a distraction. "You have me interested. What's the task?"

"We've received word from Hogwarts that a student bears a tattoo of the Death Stalkers," Harry explained. "If we interview him we may be able to unravel some of this mess – _if _he knows anything. Fancy it?"

"Sure," Henry agreed. "Give me two minutes with him and he'll be telling us everything he knows!"

/ - / - / - /

Rain was bouncing off the cobbles as Harry and Henry apparated outside Hogwarts' main gate. McGonagall was standing on the other side, waiting for them.

"Good to see you, Harry," she said as she waved her wand at the tall black gates. "Follow me."

McGonagall began to make her way towards the castle, leaving Harry and Henry confused, staring at the still-motionless gates blocking the way. Walking right up to it, Harry made to grab one of the metal bars. His hand passed straight through it as if it wasn't there. Realising what she had done, the two Aurors ran through the gates, following the Headmistress towards the school. They followed her in silence up moving staircases and through hidden corridors, past pupils going between classes and ghosts chatting to each other quietly until they came to a large statue of a cat inside a stone alcove, holding its right paw up in front of its face as if it was swiping at an invisible fly.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," she said to the cat. Springing to life, the cat pounced through a hole in the alcove's ceiling, pulling a stone staircase upwards with its tail.

"The boy is waiting with Draco in my office," McGonagall explained as they ascended the stairs. "His name is Christopher Herold. His parents have been informed and will arrive at the school tomorrow to discuss the situation. I can forward their details to you if you wish?"

"That would be useful, thanks," Harry replied as they reached the top of the stairs. The cat was curled up next to the oak door that led into the office. McGonagall entered first, Harry and Henry following afterwards.

The office had not changed much since Harry had last seen it. The same large table sat in the middle of the room, the same grand chair sitting behind it, sparkling in the candlelight. Draco stood next to the desk, a hand on each shoulder of a young boy. He had sandy brown hair and blue eyes, with random freckles dotted across his face. He wore the traditional Hogwarts uniform, his cloak emblazoned with the Slytherin crest. He looked scared as the door slammed shut behind them. A portrait of Dumbledore watched on from its place on the wall behind the large table.

"Christopher, these are the two Aurors I told you about," McGonagall explained. "They are here to ask you a few questions."

"The first question being – where did you get that tattoo?" Henry asked, flicking his wand towards the boy. His right sleeve shot up to his elbow to reveal a small DS tattoo imprinted on his wrist. Christopher remained silent, shaking slightly beneath Draco's hands.

"The strong, silent type, are you?" Henry sneered, approaching Christopher while spinning his wand in his hand. "Would you be the same in Azkaban, I wonder? Locked up on your own, the life force being sucked out of your body bit by bit over decades of complete isolation…"

"Stop right there!" Draco snapped. "Who is this nutter, Minerva?"

"Henry Stone – he's a colleague of mine," Harry replied forcefully. "He's only doing what needs done, Malfoy. Leave him to it."

"You know what, let's just cut straight to the chase!" Henry declared, pointing his wand at the student's face. "Who recruited you?" The boy was shaking violently now, terrified of the man who stood before him. "Who is responsible?" His wand started to glow red. "_Tell me who recruited you!"_

"Henry stop!" Harry yelled at the Auror, his wand raised in warning. McGonagall had her wand out too, the tip glowing purple as she prepared for the worst. "Lower your wand!" Harry ordered his comrade.

Henry came to his senses, sheathing his wand as he turned away from the boy. "Apologies, Headmistress. These Death Stalkers killed four of my bravest men, and I let it cloud my judgment."

"Be that as it may, you raise your wand at another student in this school again and I will turn you into a dung-beetle before you can utter a cry for mercy!" McGonagall warned the Auror with a glare. A clock began to chime as she turned to Christopher. "As for you, if you think you are leaving this room without uttering a word you have another thing coming! Perhaps I should transfigure you into a parrot? Maybe _then_ you'll be able to talk!"

As the clock struck its twelfth chime, the boy let lose a mischievous grin. "Oh, Professor, it's far too late for that." He turned to the two Aurors, chuckling. "The wheels have been set into motion. By the end of tonight, Hogwarts will be ours…"


	11. Mounting a Defence

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

"Draco, alert the other members of staff and get the pupils back into their dormitories," McGonagall told him as she headed for the door. "Harry – we need to defend the castle. Can you alert the Auror Department?"

"I'll get onto it right away!" Henry replied before Harry could respond. "I'll be back shortly!" He gave a last nod to Harry and sprinted out of the office as fast as his legs could carry him. Draco followed shortly afterwards.

"What will we do with him?" Harry asked, nodding towards Christopher. The boy was grinning at the panic that had spread so fast through the room due to his few choice words.

"Lock him in the Astronomy Tower. I'll deal with him when this is all over. Meet me in the Great Hall in five minutes." She strode out of the office, leaving Harry alone with the Slytherin pupil.

He shot the boy a dirty glare before talking. "Now – do you care to explain anything, or would you rather leave it to our interrogators to make you spill?" Christopher just chuckled happily, revelling in the thought of the chaos yet to unfold.

/ - / - / - /

Henry apparated into the office Atrium mid-walk, continuing to stride through the double doors with great urgency. The offices were practically empty – most Aurors were away on call-outs or investigations. In a desperate attempt to get everyone gathered without having to search for them, he unsheathed his wand and blasted a spell at the Dome, creating a loud high-pitched noise that shattered any glass within a ten-foot radius. In a matter of seconds the majority of the Aurors still present had sprinted into the room in search of the source of the sound. Hermione, Katie, Jo and Matt all entered from the interrogation rooms.

"Everyone!" Henry yelled at the top of his voice. "Condition Red! Hogwarts is under threat of attack! We need all available Aurors at the castle immediately!" Everyone began to run towards the Atrium. Hermione approached Henry for answers. "The boy – the boy's in league with them," he explained. "_By the end of tonight, Hogwarts will be ours_ – that's what he said, word for word!"

"Ok," Hermione nodded, signalling to the others to follow. "You joining us?" she asked curiously as he started running in the opposite direction.

"I'll follow shortly – need to contact Mildred!" he answered as he ran towards the Dome, shooting spells to secure the office in its solid state. Without a second's thought, Hermione and the others ran into the Atrium and disapparated.

Inside the office, Henry grabbed a quill and a role of parchment from Mildred's desk and scribbled on it. Leaving the Dome, he whistled up at the ceiling. Seconds later a barn owl swooped in through an open window, snatched the message from the Auror and left as swiftly as it arrived.

"Ok, no need to tie it to you…" Henry mumbled as he jogged across the empty room towards the Atrium. As he reached the wide-open double doors, three muscular figures apparated before him. All three wore long black robes, the hoods pulled over their heads. Death Eater masks glistened beneath the shadows of the hoods. They raised their wands in unison, pointing them towards the lone Auror threateningly.

Raising his own wand, Henry's stunned expression turned quickly to one of determination. "Time to play…"

/ - / - / - /

Harry was jumping down the stairs of the Astronomy Tower when he saw the flashes of multi-coloured light begin to dance across the walls. Looking out a window, he saw several witches and wizards down at the front gates, defending them from the onslaught of at least eight attackers. Cursing, he pulled out his wand.

"Accio Broomstick!"

He waited nearly half a minute before the broomstick found its way from the broom cupboard. He jumped onto it from the window ledge and flew towards the battle with all the speed he could muster. As he approached, he could see McGonagall, Draco and Ron at the forefront of the defence. Hermione and the rest of the team were attempting to flank the attackers – three Death Eaters wearing their customary silver masks and five Death Stalkers in plain black robes, surrounding them. A further eight Aurors were sneaking up from behind. He landed next to Hermione as she sent three violent-pink curses at the lead Death Stalker, causing the woman's hair to turn bright pink and wrap itself around her eyes, blinding her.

"Nice shot!" Harry yelled as he started sending his own spells at the attackers. The rain was continuing to fall heavily, quickly soaking him to the bone. "When did you get here?"

"About a minute ago!" she answered while deflecting a nasty-looking jinx. "Harry – Matt needs help!" Looking over he saw she was right. Two Death Stalkers had broken off from the rest of the group in an attempt to take down Matt. Cursing, Harry ran to his aid, firing a stunning spell at the closer of the two.

Staggering from the spell, the Death Stalker turned to face Harry. He was tall and slim, with a small goatee beard, curly hair and black eyes. He let out a short laugh before collapsing to the ground.

"Expelliarmus!" Matt screamed, his spell knocking the wand from the other Death Stalker's hand. Roaring at the top of his lungs, the brute flung himself at the Auror, teeth bared and hand grasping for his throat. Not even a foot from the Auror, the Death Stalker stopped short before transforming into a small lamb, which proceeded to eat the grass at Matt's feet. He looked towards the Headmistress and smiled with gratitude before re-joining the fight.

By this point three of the Death Stalkers had been transfigured into harmless animals – a lamb, a piglet and a tortoise – while the fourth and fifth lay still with their faces in the mud. The three Death Eaters stopped firing and raised their hands for a ceasefire.

"You win, Headmistress," the lead Death Eater spat with a chuckle. "But the fight isn't over yet!" On that last note they dissaparated, taking their fallen comrades with them.

"What was all that about?" Ron asked with annoyance. "They turn up, we take out their henchmen, then they vanish? That's not typical Death Eater tactics!"

"They're definitely up to something…" Harry agreed. "You lot!" he yelled to the other Aurors. "Sorry, I don't mean to sound rude! Could you create a perimeter around the castle and send out an alert the second anything funny happens?" The Aurors nodded left to find their posts. "Jo, Matt – could you both return to the office and wait for Mildred to return? She needs to know about this."

Hermione interrupted before they left. "Could you see if you can find Henry as well? He said he was sending Mildred a message then he'd come straight here, but he hasn't shown."

"No problem!" Jo agreed before her and Matt disapparated.

Harry turned to Draco. "Do you have any Veritaserum left?"

"Sure, I still have a cabinet full."

"Can you bring some up to the Astronomy tower ASAP?"

"I'll have it up there in the next five minutes!" Draco replied as he ran back towards the castle.

Harry looked to Hermione, then McGonagall, then Ron. His stomach turned when he saw Ron, remembering he had no clue about his relationship with Hermione. He cast the thought aside – there were more important matters to attend with first.

"Let's see if a little Veritaserum will help wet the boy's tongue."


	12. The Herold Sings

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

A bolt of lightning struck the Astronomy Tower as Harry, Hermione, Katie and McGonagall entered the circular room at the top – Ron had gone to check on the students. The walls shook; a painting fell from the wall; a glass tipped off a desk near the window opposite the door, smashing as it hit the stone floor. Christopher Herold was sitting on a wooden chair in the centre of the room, continuing to smile mischievously. His smile faltered as Draco entered seconds later, a clear glass vial in his right hand.

"Y-you can't give me that!" Christopher yelled, starting to panic. "It's against my rights! I'm a p-pupil!"

"A pupil who knowingly allowed a group of dangerous criminals to plan an attack on this school," Harry reminded him. "Any rights you had within these walls you discarded the second you agreed to help them. We need answers, Christopher." Draco handed the vial to Harry, who approached the pupil slowly while uncorking the lid. "Start talking – or we'll make you."

"B-b-but I don't know anything!" Christopher screamed, getting out of the seat. McGonagall pulled out her wand, forcing him to stop short.

"Do you fancy becoming a parrot, Mr Herold?" she warned the boy again. Giving up, he sat back down in the chair.

Harry handed Christopher the vial and nodded for him to drink it. He took a deep breath, then downed the potion in one. They gave it a minute to take effect before beginning the questioning.

"What's your name?"

"Christopher Herold."

"And your age?"

"Thirteen."

"Who is head of Slytherin House?"

"Professor Malfoy."

"Good," Harry paused for a moment before continuing. "Why are you helping the Death Eaters?"

The boy's face contorted as he struggled against the serum. Eventually, his will cracked. "They have… my… p-parents," Christopher replied, his eyes beginning to water. Harry heard Hermione gasp behind him.

"What did they want you to do?"

He succumbed to the potion much faster this time. "D-dis-covered."

Katie walked over, stopping next to Harry. "What do you mean?"

"I had to… be found out. Then the Aurors would come q-question me. By the time this had happened, Death Eaters and Stalkers would have m-m-moved to attack the castle."

"But they could have done this without using you…" Hermione pondered in the background. "Unless –"

"It was a diversion!" Harry cottoned on, looking Christopher straight in the eye. "Was it a diversion, Christopher?" The boy nodded. "What was the real target?"

"I… I don't know!" Christopher's cheeks were now wet with tears. "I was only told what… what I had to do. If I didn't… my mum and dad…" The boy broke off, sobbing into his hands.

"This is not a game," Harry explained to the boy. "I'm sorry we had to break you to show you that."

"I'll take him back to his common room," Draco told McGonagall. "Now he's been discovered, he'll need protection."

"By all means, Draco, but be on guard," McGonagall warned the Potions teacher. "I'm not entirely convinced by this boy's tale."

"We'll keep Aurors circling the castle on rotating shifts," Harry agreed. "Hermione, Katie – let's head back to the office and fill Jo and Matt in on what we know." As they turned to leave, Christopher piped up again.

"I heard them mention Stirling!"

Harry turned to the pupil, frowning. "Thanks Christopher. That might just help us. And try not to worry about your family – we'll find them."

/ - / - / - /

Harry, Hermione and Katie apparated into the Atrium to a sight of utter destruction. The offices were in ruins – desks flipped over and smashed into splinters; parchment littered the floor; dividers had been melted down and blasted to smithereens. Standing in the remains of the office was Jo, with Matt next to her. Both were leaning over something just out of the others' sight. Jo turned as she heard them running towards her.

"Guys quick! It's Henry!"

The three new arrivals sprinted across the office. Hermione stopped short when Henry came into view. He was lying on the floor, shaking violently, blood seeping out from slashes all over his body. Harry knelt by his side, sending an orange orb through the ceiling with his wand.

"I did that when we got here," Jo advised as she watched Harry search for the deepest wounds. Henry spluttered for a moment before coughing up blood. Hermione recovered from the initial sight and approached, muttering under her breath while she slowly waved her wand over Henry's body, healing some of the more minor injuries.

"Where the fuck are the paramedics?" Matt yelled in a panic, wand raised as he scoured the office in case any intruders should return.

Henry spluttered again, grabbing Harry by the shirt as he did. Leaning in close, he tried to whisper something in his ear.

"What? Henry, just try to rel-"

"No…" Henry jerked his head back for a second, recovered slightly, and continued in a barely-audible whisper. "Three… T-th-they released… Nives… D-d-d-d-"

"Hang in there, Henry! Help's nearly here!" Harry yelled at his colleague.

The seconds past like hours. Eventually, he heard five small pops in quick succession coming from the Atrium. Matt and Jo had their wands pointed in heartbeat, but lowered them as soon as they recognised the white medical robes from St Mungo's Hospital.

"Quick, he's over here!"

"Out of the way. OUT OF THE WAY!" the lead medic screamed at the top of his lungs. Everyone moved to the side apart from Harry, who Henry now had a solid grip on.

"Right – multiple lacerations to the face, arms and torso. He's lost a lot of blood. I need apparation clearance now!" One of the other medics about-faced and sprinted back towards the Atrium while the others took out their wands and began working on sealing Henry's wounds. The lead doctor turned to Harry.

"Mister Potter, my name is Doctor Avery. I need you all to answer questions quickly and succinctly. We haven't much time."

"Understood," Harry replied, trying to ignore the pain starting to build from Henry's hold on his chest.

"How long has he been like this?"

"I dunno! Must be nearly ten minutes since we got here and sent for you! What took you so bloody long?" Matt yelled at Avery.

"Then we're running out of time…" Avery continued, ignoring Matt's accusation. "But we can't move him into the Atrium – he's lost too much blood. We _need_ that apparation clearance from the Minister!"

Harry looked back down at Henry. His usual white hair was red with blood, and his breathing was becoming sporadic. He looked up into Harry's face, his eyes wide with urgency despite the pain he must have been enduring.

"Harry…"

"Sir, try not to talk!"

Henry ignored the advice, taking several deep breaths before starting again.

"Eaters… Nives… gone…"

His eyes started to roll into the back of his head. Before Harry could even react, Avery shot a golden ball of light from his wand, which hit Henry square in the chest, forcing him back into consciousness.

"What's his name?" Avery asked.

"Henry Stone," Hermione replied, hand covering her lips in shock.

"Henry? My name's Doctor Avery. Try to relax, and we'll have you out of here in no time. Can you hear me Henry?" The Auror nodded. Harry turned to Hermione and the rest of the team.

"Matt, stay here with me. Hermione, Katie, Jo – I think Henry's telling me Nives and the others have escaped. I need you to check the cells.

"Right away," Hermione replied as they ran towards the Interrogation rooms.

"Be careful!" Harry yelled after them, before turning his attention back to the colleague and friend slowly dying in his arms.


	13. The New Order

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from the Harry Potter series belong to me, only new characters I have created within this story.**

**A/N: Please see my profile for updates and ETAs for new chapters!**

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta**

Harry stared blankly as the medics disapparated with their patient. It was taking time for his mind to process everything that had happened: Herold, the Hogwarts diversion, and now Henry. Henry, the man that was always in the way, who always seemed to want them to fail. But truth be told he never wanted that at all. Every time he snapped, moaned, or barged out of the way, he was just venting frustration at a situation he could not control.

_And now he's dying…_

"Harry!" Katie's yell snapped him from his trance. "Henry was right! They're gone!" Harry remained silent, contemplating the confirmation. "Harry? Shouldn't we go after them?"

"Katie! You've gotta be kidding me…" Matt replied from a chair opposite Harry. A burning sensation started to build in Harry's head. _Just… stay calm…_

"We need to catch up to them – now!"

"Really, Katie? _Really?_" Katie took a step back, stunned by Harry's outburst. "Where do we start? What do we do? In case you hadn't noticed, this place has been ripped apart! And we have NO idea where the bastards are anyway – so what would we DO? He screamed the last word, jumping to his feet and kicking a chair to his left, knocking it sideways to the floor. Katie just stood there, dumbstruck, one hand covering her mouth in an attempt to hide the worry she felt coursing through her. Matt looked off into space, numb to his comrade's words.

Moments later Hermione and Jo returned from their search, both panting and baring the same news as Katie: Varkus Nives had escaped.

/ - / - / - /

"The reason for this meeting is obvious," Mildred began, looking to each Auror standing before her in the ruined office space. Nearly every Auror was present and accounted for, all looking to their leader for the next move. Harry and his team stood near the back of the crowd, all five looking troubled. "We have been attacked at our very core, and there have been casualties. But for the moment, we must not give in to grief! We need to re-establish the protection surrounding this facility – without it, we could be bombarded at any moment!

"Trowler, Hedres, MacDonald and Routen – I want your teams stationed throughout this facility and the rest of the Ministry. If they do decide to come back, we'll be ready for them.

"Anderson, Fergus and Thomson – your teams are to scout London for any sign of the attackers. If you come across nothing, widen the search.

"Daniels and Rowland – have your people repair this place. If you find anything out of the ordinary, inform me immediately.

"Potter, Jade, Newton, Karlson and Forbes – organise your offices, then have you and your teams meet me in the Dome. Potter's team in five minutes, Jade's ten minutes after that, and so on.

"You all have your instructions – get to it!"

Her last words were met with the click of heels and barking of orders as the entire Auror Department moved into recovery position. Harry's team looked to him for direction; he paused a moment before giving it.

"Two of you check out the office. The other two secure the interrogation cells for inspection later."

As he began to walk away he felt a hand hold onto his sleeve. Turning around, his gaze was met with Hermione's. Her eyes were a warm caramel, relighting something in the pit of his icy interior.

"Harry… he'll be ok…" she whispered in an attempt to reassure her partner. The attempt had some effect – something appeared to glint in the emerald green of his eyes, and his lips twitched into a fraction of a smile.

"Thanks…" he replied, before making his way towards the Dome. He could hear Hermione's voice as she conversed with the others, but he could not make out the words.

_She thinks I'm just worried about Henry… If she was just two minutes slower –_

A loud, low bang met his ears, cutting off all thoughts of the past. Within the space of three seconds his wand was drawn, his attack was prepped and he had made his way around what was left of the desks to the front of the Dome. There stood Mildred, her ruby-red robes billowing behind her from the force of her incantation. Cursing, she fired another spell at the Dome. The blue beam that left her wand ricocheted off its target, blasting a hole in the ceiling. The impact with the Dome released another bang, this one louder and more defined, knocking Mildred to the floor. A couple of Aurors poked their heads round their booths before continuing with what they were doing.

"Blasted sodding office!" the woman scowled as she pulled herself up to her feet. Then she saw Harry. "Sheath your wand, Harry – nothing you can do will get me in there."

"You're locked out of your office?" Harry asked as he obeyed the order.

"Yes… Henry…" She paused for a moment, remembering his present situation.

"How is he?" Harry asked quietly, approaching his boss.

The aging witch sighed. "He's in critical condition. Lost a lot of blood. He got beaten to within an inch of his life with God-knows how many curses. It's touch and go." She smiled sadly at the young wizard, then turned her attention back towards the Dome. "Henry may be difficult to work with, but he's my best man. You won't find a more dedicated Auror. His loyalties are one hundred per cent with us. And you. He respects you, Harry." Harry felt a twang of guilt for all the times he fought against his colleague. "I doubt he will ever tell you this himself, but trust me when I say he will follow you to the end – even if it means his death."

The pair stood in silence for several moments more, both staring up at the solid black dome before them. Then Harry took his turn to speak.

"When I was ten years old, I met a man I could never understand." He took a breath to keep the tears from breaching. "I spent my entire life at Hogwarts hating him. And it seemed he hated me just as much. He was dead before I learned the truth." He turned back to Mildred, and she met his gaze. "The entire time he had been protecting me. And the worst of it is that no one will ever remember him but a few, despite everything he did to keep us all alive."

Mildred looked confused. "I don't think there is a witch or wizard that doesn't know Dumbledore's name…"

Harry laughed. "I'm not talking about Dumbledore." He turned to leave, the fire in his belly refuelled and his determination restored. "Don't let Henry die, Mildred. He's fought too hard to be left behind. He's one of us – a part of the Order."

"The Order?" Mildred asked as Harry marched back towards his team. "Where are you going? What is the Order?"

Harry was grinning as he spun on the spot to answer her questions. "Christopher Herold. He told me he thinks he overheard talk of Stirling. It's a historic city in Central Scotland. That's our next stop. If there is anything there to find, we'll find it."

"And the Order?"

Harry smiled as he about turned and marched towards his team. "It's our new name, keeping the memory of those we have lost alive.

"We are the Order of the Phoenix."

**More Chapters Coming Soon!**


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